Biography &Qualifications

Dr. Xiaoyan (Scarlet) Wang is a post doctoral researcher of Biochemistry at Middlesex University, London. After one year training in Nanjing First hospital, China as a doctor, she decided it was time for a change of scenery and career and moved to UK, where she obtained her Master degree in Neuroscience at University of Bristol and Ph.D degree in Biology and Biochemistry at University of Bath. After Scarlet gained her Ph.D degree, she moved to London and successfully earned a spot as a liposome technologist in Professor Ivan Roitt's research group at Middlesex University. Recently, she collaborated with two friends on two projects, entitled Selective delivery of arsenic trioxide with targeting liposomes to HPV infected cervical cancer cells, and Combined treatment of Ischemia-referfusion (IR) injury in hepatic surgery with liposomal drugs.

Languages spoken

Mandarin

Languages Spoken

Learning &Teaching Interests

Research Outputs &Interests

By delivering a drug selectively to cancer tissue one can deliver a concentrated dose and avoid the unpleasant effects of systemic administration. Dr. Scarlet Wang has already shown liposomes coated with antibody Vhh fragments can not only neutralise free virus but also effectively deliver encapsulated anti-HIV drugs to infected cells to inhibit replication.

Funded Research &Knowledge Exchange Projects

Personnel: Scarlet Wang, Falak Iqbal and Ivan Roitt

Title: Liposomal drug delivery

We have shown that liposomes coated with llama Vhh antibody fragments specific for HIV HIV gp120 can neutralise free virus and we are trying to firm up observations that they can deliver Saquinavir, an anti-HIV drug, to infected cells expressing surface gp120. The system will be exploited to delivery of drugs to cancer cells.

We have shown that ATO can target HPV- infected cervical cancer cells and bring up p53 levels previously. We are now investigating the possibility of using liposomes to deliver ATO into cancer cells to reduce ATO toxicity and increasing the specificity through a suitable conjugated antibody.

Funding: Middlesex University research initiative fund

Personnel: Richard Bayford, Scarlet Wang

Title: Nanoparticle ablation of cancer cells

We are investigating the use of nanoparticle heating on gold and iron. A number of researchers including Curley and co-workers demonstrated an increased percentage of cell death in the GNP-treated cells exposed to an external RF field. It is clear from their investigation that as an intracellular target molecule, GNPs released substantial heat in the nano environment after exposure to a high-voltage focused RF field. These results demonstrated the increased percentage of cell death in the GNP-treated cells exposed to the external RF field. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment for cancer that is approved by the FDA. We are seeking to optimize cell uptake of GNPs and investigating mechanisms of cell death other than simple heating.